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The final bell has rung for John B. Campbell of Hettinger, N.D. John passed away at West River Health Center on February 8, 2025.

Mass of Christian Burial with Full Military Honors for John B. Campbell, 83, longtime Hettinger, ND Educator will be Thursday, February13, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. MT at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Hettinger.  Rosary will be held prior at 10:00 a.m. before the Mass.  Fr. Greg Hilzendeger will officiate and burial will follow at the Hettinger Cemetery.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the Rosary on Thursday morning.

John was born on March 19, 1941 to John and Nellie Campbell of Defiance, Ohio. His mother always called him "Johnny Bug" or "Buggy" because she said he was just as cute a "little bug in a rug." The moniker of "Bug" stayed with him throughout his life with his family and close friends.

John's family moved to Haynes, N.D. in 1958 when he was a senior in high school. This is where he met his wife, Sharon Ross. For their date nights they watched  "Have Gun will Travel" in Sharon's home until 10 PM every Saturday night. That is where she learned of his love of western movies and shows which was a genre he loved throughout his lifetime. To this union three children were born, Christal Lyn, Jon Bradley, and Michelle Elisa.

John was in the Navy from 1959-1963. He cruised the far east as a part of the Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron TWO on the air craft carrier USS Hornet. John served during a contentious time for our country during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He told his family he sat on the deck of the air craft carrier wondering if he would see his family again or meet his unborn child, as they were hours away from being the first ship attacked by the Russians. He knew the next time the air craft carrier bell rang, they would be at war. Thank goodness that was adverted and he was honorably discharged in 1963.

John was an educator through and through. He graduated with a B.S. degree from Dickinson State University and a M.S. degree from Northern State University. He was a teacher, coach, principal, and superintendent throughout his lifetime. John absolutely loved working with kids and amazingly remembered students and details about them throughout the years. Encouraging students, teaching math, coaching basketball and track, and in his later years leading schools by his example as a servant leader was John's lifetime calling. He always said he got paid for doing what he loved.

John was the type of person who only had two gears, full speed ahead and dead stop (and that was when he was sleeping). He was an extrovert who loved people and engaging them in conversation. John always had an opinion and wasn't shy in sharing it. People either ended up loving him or maybe not so much but that never deterred him. He was genuine, honest, and always told the truth whether or not it was popular.

In 2006 John and Sharon embarked on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje, Bosnia Herzegovina. They were the only two Lutherans on the trip in a sea of Catholics. This experience changed their lives forever. John developed a very close relationship with Sister Muriel and they would deliver food to the poor up in the foothills of the village. On one of these trips (in which he made five) she was standing in the doorway of her nursing home, wrapped her arms around him and said, "Welcome home, John". On returning after their first pilgrimage, they joined the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Hettinger, N.D. John told Sharon that this was no doubt the most impactful time in his personal life. Both John and Sharon received many wonderful spiritual gifts throughout this period.

Another deeply personal mission of John's was giving back to the community by taking it upon himself to clean up both sides of the cemetery. Every day you could find him up there tending to graves and the surrounding areas by mowing, planting, watering, and removing trees and brush while his sidekick Buddy waited patiently for hours in the air-conditioned pick-up. He planted all the little sea green junipers that wound up the cemetery path. Every day throughout the summers he would haul water from home and hand water each one to make sure they survived.

In 2010 John traveled to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN for tests. It took the doctors 17 days to come to a diagnosis. He had a very rare autoimmune disorder called Hirata's Syndrome. There are less than 3000 people in the world who have had it. Sharon always told him he couldn't have anything normal, it had to be something no one else ever heard about. He kept his up beat personality until the very end.

A remembrance of John Campbell must include his lifelong love of fishing. This wasn't merely a hobby but rather a passion. His children and grandchildren spent many hours by his side.

John is survived by his wife Sharon, his three children, Christal, Brad, and Michelle. He also has six grandchildren, Patrick, Andrew, Elisa, Lindsay, Hannah, and Mia, and three very little great grandchildren, Stella, Nolan, and Elouise. He is preceded in death by his parents, John and Nellie, his siblings, Jan, Bruce, Clark, Brenda, and Judie, and his in-laws Ernie and Lillian.

Well done good and faithful servant.